Konoha's darkest hour
by Legacyofthedawn
Summary: The wrath of the demon fox and the story of the village who fought against it


-1First serious/ more than one shot fic, feedback is appreciated AU

A roar reverberated through the autumn air in the village of Konoha. The source of this sound brought all of its inhabitants into a complete panic as they looked and gazed on the terrifying visage of the Kyuubi No Youko, The Nine Tailed Fox. A creature of such awesome power that it was said it could split mountains and create massive tsunamis with just a flick of its tail. As the shinobi of the village prepared to engage this force of nature, they couldn't help but think their precious village was doomed to total annihilation.

The shinobi of the village assembled at the Hokage Tower, the operational center of the village, where the aged Sandime Hokage waited for them. The old man had clearly not lost the vitality of his youth just yet, as he was decked out in full ceremonial battle armor, passed down to him from the Shodi and Nidame Hokages. His wizened features were grim as he looked at the men he knew he was sending to their deaths. Just as the ex-Kage prepared to speak a chunin inquired, "Sandime-sama, where is Yondame-sama?"

The silence was deafening as the assembled ninjas realized their famed leader was nowhere to be seen. The Sandime's response was curt and to the point "My successor is attempting to find a way to defeat the menace that threatens our home. Remember everyone, the fate of the village rests on your shoulders, the will of fire that has sustained the village, MUST NOT BE LOST! WE MUST DEFEND OUR HOMELAND!" A loud battle cry was heard throughout the village. A vocal challenge to the demonic entity threatening the village.

And the Kyuubi would not disappoint.

Several hours later and the demon was at the gates. The once clear air was now tainted with the smell of smoke and blood, the Konoha Elites could do naught but distract the beast any who approached was instantly vaporized by the demons chakra. The forest, after which the village was named, was burning, the smoke blinding the shinobi in combat with the beast. An ill omen.

"FALL BACK TO THE VILLAGE CENTER!!" The ANBU captain who gave this order was heard, even over the screams of the dying and combatants alike. A few valiant shinobi prepared their strongest jutsu, hoping to give their comrades at least a few seconds to regroup to the rally point in the village square. Beyond the square were the clan houses and, most importantly, the Hokage Tower. Everyone know they could fall back no further.

'_Nowhere to run Humans…'_

"Who…who s-said that? Wa-was that you Misao?"

No, not me…"

"It can't have been the-"

'_Indeed you foolish mortals, it is I, the instrument of your destruction'_

"Th-There's no way we can win this… RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!" These were the chunin's last words as a kunai pierced the base of his skull.

"Captain, why did you do that?" was Misao's question as he saw the signature white cape that signified an ANBU Captain.

The captain sighed as he responded "He was speaking blasphemy; demoralizing the troops in an already bad situation… he had to be silenced." The captain suddenly stiffened ramrod and started barking out orders into his headset "ALL NINJA PREPARE TO RE-ENGAGE, THE BEAST IS NEAR!!!"

As they saw the unscathed demon, the ninja were resigned to their doom. Many were ready to run and attempt to escape death incarnate, when hundreds of chakra sources appeared at the edge of their senses. At last! The clans have arrived! At the head of this group were two individuals. One had white eyes, the other black. These were the new leaders of the two strongest clans, The Hyuuga and Uchiha clans, Hiashi and Fugaku. Behind them were their fellow clan members, and many members of the other prestigious clans. Including the Aburame, Inuzuka, Akamichi, Nara, and Yamanaka clans.

"The Yondame is almost finished with his preparations, he will joins us shortly" This brief message from the new Hyuuga head revitalized the dying spirits of the combatants. As the beast drew closer to their position, they found new courage in the knowledge their hero would soon arrive with a solution.

"Nara, Yamanaka, try to hold the monster down!" The Nara used their shadows to simultaneously capture the fox, and immediately fell to their knees, the strain clear on their faces.

"Hurry up, Inoichi! We can't hold this thing much longer…"

The Yamanaka clan had just finished building a mind channeling seal; it would amplify their psychological energies to the point where their collective energies, channeled through their clan head, could overcome the barriers that shielded the kitsune's mind. They all surrounded the seal and launched their jutsu.

"SHISHTEN NO JUTSU"

Once the jutsu hit their leader, the Yamanaka collapsed while Inoichi launched all their collective energy into one attack "SHISHTEN NO JUTSU" He too collapsed on the floor.

There is a common misunderstanding on how the Yamanaka clan jutsu work. Many believe that the Yamanaka project their souls in order to take total control of their targets. This is not the case; what the Yamanaka do is project their brainwaves at a target. On contact, the target's brainwaves are overrun and they start projecting the brainwaves of the person who used the jutsu. When the jutsu was in its developmental stages, many died because they transferred _all_ of their brainwaves to the target, shutting down vital functions, such as the signals to their hearts and lungs. Eventually one member discovered how to _replicate_ these vital signals, and was able to survive the process. This created the modern Shishten no jutsu. However, since a link was needed to help the brainwaves return to the Yamanaka using the jutsu, there was a major flaw in the technique - any damage suffered by the host body was inflicted on the user.

This is how the jutsu would work on _humans_; nobody knew what would happen when it was used on the demon, and this is why the energy was pooled. The mind of the collective Yamanaka clan was still semi-aware of the battle and were expecting either to have Inoichi control the beast, or be rejected and returned to their bodies.

What they did not expect was to be repelled by a wall of psychic energy and scattered to their various shinobi, with a small _present _attached. As they entered the bodies of fellow Konoha nin, they felt a powerful bloodlust overcome them, and they lashed out at their comrades, surrounded by the fox's malevolent chakra. Fighting for control, using the tendrils of collective mental energy remaining from the assault, Inoichi collected himself, and returned to his body. As he watched the rampant nins go on a rampage, he knew had had little choice, he grabbed a kunai, and plunged it into the nearest Yamanaka's heart. He turned around and saw one of the enraged shinobi drop. His eyes dimmed as he proceeded to kill all of his clansmen. As he killed the last one, only one demon enhanced shinobi remained. He sighed and turned the kunai on himself. 'Sorry Ino'

The Nara had long since lost their control of the Kyuubi and were now fighting the apparently corrupted ninja. Suddenly, one of the ninja fell, and after that nins died rapidly, Shiktako turned around and was Inoichi turn a bloody kunai on himself and put the pieces together 'Shit! I have to stop him!' He flashed through the hand seals and used the Kagemenge no jutsu, freezing the Yamanaka in place.

Inoichi froze in place and felt the kunai drop from his fingers; he looked down and saw a shadow extending from his own. "Damn it Shiktako! I have to do this! It's the only way to stop that corrupted bastard!"

"Inoichi, look." He did and saw the corrupted ninja dead, third degree burns all over his body. "If I let you finish, you would have died for no reason, wouldn't you?" He smirked slightly.

"Thank you old friend."

In the Hokage tower, the Sandime watched his successor drawing an infinitely complex seal in an empty room in the Hokage Tower. "Yondame, are you sure-"

"Yes Sarutobi… I have to do this. What kind of Kage would I be if I wasn't willing to make the sacrifice?" The Yondame, the Korrii Senko, was filled with a grim determination over what he had to do. "Old Man?"

"Yes, Minato?" both men were on the verge of tears, knowing this would be the last time they saw each other.

"M-make sure he gets treated like the hero he deserves to be… Okay?"

"I will do my best" Yondame nodded, created a Kage Bushinin, and left out the window, leaving the old man, his clone, and an infant inside.

On the battlefield, Things were about to collapse. "Sorry Minato… I couldn't-"

"The Yondame has arrived! We're saved!" The Hyuuga opened his eyes. "Hn, you made a liar out of me, Minato," said Hiashi as he rose to his feet and watched his old friend's final reckoning.

"Thanks Bunta, you may leave now."

"**And miss out on your victory gaki? I think not!"** boomed the toad boss.

The Yondame smiled, and immediately focused on the monster before him. He rapidly flashed through seals and called out his attack. "Shiki!" before his eyes, the Shinigami came fourth in an aura of darkness, and plunged his arm through the Yondame's chest. The arm then grasped the Kyuubi's soul and dragged it out of it's body. Not having the energy for his Harashinin no jutsu, he instead Kwamaried with his clone and inked out a fujin on the infant. "I'm sorry, Naruto." Forcing the fox's chakra into Naruto's body, he completed the seal. "Fujin! "The Yondame then dropped dead, having sacrificed his soul to contain the Kyuubi. The only witnesses to his death being an old man, and a crying infant with a seal on his navel… glowing blood red.


End file.
